The jubilant players and supporters celebrated as if they had won the Premier League, rather than ending City’s 14-match unbeaten run this season to get themselves back into the title race.

City’s defeat on the back of their Champions League exit rubbed salt into their wounds but, despite the double setback, Lescott claims they are stronger than ever and will prove it at home to Arsenal tomorrow.

“I was already in the dressing room, so I didn’t see what was going on in the tunnel after Chelsea,” said Lescott, whose handball allowed Frank Lampard to score the winner from the penalty spot.

“I’m not bothered by the taunts. We’re not fazed by that.

“It just proved to us that they are taking us seriously now.

“If teams like Chelsea are seeing us as a big scalp, then it can only be good for us.

“They know that if they do finish above us they are going to have a great chance of winning the league.

“And that is a massive compliment to us.

“We saw Chelsea go into a celebration huddle on the pitch at the end. Yeah, I was a bit surprised.

“But we had heard their manager say that if they didn’t win, then their title hopes were over and it’s been a tough period for them recently.”

The showdown with the Gunners marks the second anniversary of Mancini taking charge.

The Italian succeeded Mark Hughes immediately after City’s 4-3 win at home to Sunderland on December 19 2009.

City were sixth at the time but now lead by two points and last season picked up their first trophy for 35 years by winning the FA Cup.

Lescott, signed by Hughes from Everton in August 2009 for £22m, admits there have been times when he has feared for his future under Mancini.

But the former Wolves centre-half has established himself as a regular now.

He said: “This time last season I wasn’t in the team.I couldn’t argue because the team was playing well.

“There was Kolo Toure and Micah Richards vying for places as well in the centre of defence and it didn’t look great for me.

“We qualified for the Champions League last season but our main goal now is to win the league.

“And we’re in the driving seat at the minute.

“There is a long way to go, but we’re confident that if we can maintain the consistency we’ve shown so far, then we can get there.”

Arsenal pose a major threat, though, having won seven of the last eight league games.

And Lescott, speaking at the final of the EA SPORTS FIFA 12 Pro Player Challenge, knows he is in for one of his toughest tests of the campaign as he tries to stop goal machine Robin van Persie.

The Holland hotshot has netted 15 times in the top flight – including 12 in his last eight matches.

Although Lescott would not swap team-mates Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero or Edin Dzeko for Van Persie, he would be happy to see Mancini bid for him.

Lescott, 29, added: “We’d welcome any great players here and he is one.

“He’s the man for them at the moment. He’s right up there.

“As a striker you get judged on goals, so at the moment he’s the best in the league.